Speaking of canons you encounter through osmosis. This is what I knew about the hugely popular, yet seemingly indescribable, phenomenon that is Homestuck:

"Homestuck is - something? maybe a webcomic? maybe a game? - by Andrew Hussie? There are the kids, and the trolls, and some kind of online world? There are a lot of names? And various ships? And ( Read more... )

It's always slightly bizarre to encounter a canon through osmosis, and then experience the actual thing. You get expectations colliding with reality, and you also get pieces of a puzzle falling into place. (Oh, this is who those nicknames belong to! Oh, this is where that soulmate meme comes from!) And in a way, it feels like it opens up the world ( Read more... )

There are a lot of things I could say about Dexter Down Under, a graphic novel in which Dexter visits Australia to help the local police catch a serial killer. I have mixed feelings about the Dexter series these days, but I had to check it out.

( Minor spoilers )

In 2014, I read 24 volumes of graphic novels.

Series I discovered:

Saga - A big epic space adventure, that at its heart is about two people in love trying to raise their child while on the run for their lives. This is so much of what I love about science fiction: strange fantastic worlds of wonder, full of people who are literally aliens or ( Read more... )

So a couple of weekends ago, I went to Supanova in Sydney. It was a whirlwind of a day, catching up with friends and checking out panels and browsing the stalls.

( Jason Isaacs and Bonnie Wright )

Better get this finished before I have to post the 2014 retrospectives.

In 2013, I read 70 volumes of graphic novels. What can I say, I joined a new library and hit a motherlode of titles.

Series I discovered:

20th Century Boys - I know so many people who list this in their top five of all time. I marathoned this over three weeks or something. ( Read more... )

In 2012, I read 15 volumes of graphic novels.

Series I continued to enjoy:

Runaways - I love these kids, smart and funny and brave, trying to deal with their powers and their place in the universe, plus everything the universe throws at them. This is a series that deserves to be continued.

Yotsuba&! - Yotsuba is a joy. I look forward to the ( Read more... )

In 2011, I read 36 volumes of graphic novels.

Series I finally finished:

Fullmetal Alchemist - A long time coming, but the perfect ending in every way.

Hikaru no Go - Five years on, the English translation is complete.

Series I continued to enjoy:

Otomen - Everyone else I know who has tried it has bounced off it hard, and I know the politics ( Read more... )

In 2010, I read 45 volumes of graphic novels.

Series I continued to enjoy:

Fullmetal Alchemist
Hikaru no Go
Yotsuba&!

Series I rediscovered:

From Eroica With Love

Series I discovered for the first time:

Otomen

Standalones I enjoyed:

Calamity Jack
Colour Bleach+: Bleach Official Bootleg

In 2009, I read 83 volumes of graphic novels.

Series I continued to enjoy:

Fullmetal Alchemist
Hikaru no Go
Slam Dunk!
Bleach

Series I discovered for the first time:

To Terra
Oishinbo

Standalones I enjoyed:

Castle Waiting